Much Ado About Nothing: Sir Louis And Citizenship

Deputy Prime Minister of St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Sir Louis Straker,has come under fire to reveal whether or not he is still a US citizen. The issue resurfaced at a town hall meeting in Brooklyn, New York recently.

On Wednesday, Online media IWN published from a letter sent to the Deputy PM by lawyers representing Ben Exciter, his opposing candidate for the NDP in the last election, stating that he (Straker) has seven days to provide proof that he is not a US citizen.

Deputy PM Sir Louis Straker Photo Credit WEFM

However, US Embassy notes from October of 2006 appear to show otherwise, thus giving credence as to why Sir Louis may have chosen to ignore the recent calls.

The notes show that Louis Straker lived in the New York for 31 years and previously held U.S. citizenship, which he had to renounce in order to run for public office in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in 1994.

Straker in those notes spoke fondly of New York and explained that no one in his government is more pro-U.S. than he is.

The documents also show that the Deputy PM still visits there often as his family lives in New York.

However, his misunderstandings of the sources and uses of U.S. foreign assistance is considerable given he is a former U.S. citizen and taxpayer.

Sir Louis Straker has not responded to any of the accusations so far. However, Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Ralph Gonsalves at the recent town hall meeting responded to a question by oneMiranda Woods, the woman who accused Gonsalves of sexual assault, said that Sir Louis is not a US citizen.